India Government going for Phase 3 of FM station bidding

FEBRUARY 15

Manufacturers Alert

India's Economic Times carried a Press Trust of India report that the government is so enthused over the success of the second phase of bidding for private FM radio, that it has decided to go for a third phase to sell frequencies in up to 70 more cities. PTI quoted Information and Broadcasting Secretary, S K Arora.

In phase 2, the government sold around 280 radio station licenses in 90 cities bringing in revenues of about Rupees 1,100 crore. (crore= 10 million)

Arora said that to provide co-location facilities for private players on Prasar Bharati's infrastructure, the government was in the process of erecting new towers as well as enhancing capacity on existing ones.

As per a notification before the second phase, the government had approved the co-location of Common Transmission Infrastructure (CTI), consisting of antenna, cable, combiners, buildings, power supply, water supply etc., in each city using Prasar Bharati's infrastructure for setting up of FM transmission facilities for private FM broadcasters.

"We will be erecting new towers in the cities being targeted for third phase while enhancing capacity to host more transmitters on existing ones," Arora said.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1416020.cms